By now, I’m assuming that everyone, including you, has read articles on how to look and sound great on video calls. They’re everywhere. So, help me understand something; why do so many people still look so bad in video conferences? Have we given up? Do we not care?
It’s important folks. If you were having an in-person meeting, you would make sure that the people in the room could hear you clearly. My guess is that you wouldn’t stand in front of a bright light so no one could see your face. You wouldn’t make everyone look up your nostrils. Yes, that’s what I see every day in video meetings and consultations with clients.
I get it. These are all things we’ve never had to worry about when we’re in front of each other. But now we do need to worry about it because our presence and credibility are at stake. People assess us subconsciously and consciously based on how we present ourselves on video. Looking and sounding good sends a message that we’re professional, we’re organized, that we care about our audience. Looking bad says, frankly, that we just don’t care.
Oh, and it’s not that difficult. Really, it’s not. Do these seven things and you will make a strong impression on video calls:
Make sure you have good lighting
No bright lights or bright windows in the background. Remember, cameras aren’t as good as the human eye and they will expose for that bright background light and you’ll be in the dark.
The primary lighting source should be coming from in front of you whether it’s a window or a lamp or some other light source and the light should be even across your face. No dark side. Lights from above typically do NOT look good. It’s the reverse flashlight-under-the-chin effect. The light source should be roughly at eye level.
Speaking of eye level, your camera should be at eye level. That’s the view when we’re sitting across from someone in person. Put some books underneath your laptop to raise the camera. No nostrils.
Frame yourself appropriately. You should sit center screen with your head just below the top of the frame. Depending on your camera and the specific video platform, you should be waist up or chest up.
Don’t have your video conferencing window on a second screen separate from the laptop where the camera sits. This makes it appear that you’re looking at someone else who’s in the room with you or that you’re distracted. Looking into the camera means you’re looking at your audience.
Pay attention to the background. Is there anything distracting back there? That large painting from Uncle Joe no one ever understood. A messy bookcase. Exercise equipment. Background distractions distract from you and what you’re saying.
Look nice and wear solid colors. No white. No black. Stripes or patterns tend to vibrate on relatively low-resolution laptop cameras. White washes out your face. Black can look like a disembodied floating head.
Make sure your audio is good. Sit close to the audio source. If the microphone is in the laptop, sit close to the laptop. Wear a headset or earbuds with a good microphone. Record yourself and see how it sounds. Bad, tinny, hollow audio is not only a major distraction, people often can’t fully understand what you’re saying.
There you have it. One more article about good video conferencing. Please don’t ignore this one. I want you to look and sound great. I want you to leave a great impression on your audience. Uncle Joe will understand.